Junicoast

Action D.1: Development and implementation of a communication strategy (Action in Progress)

Activities performed

• Literature review on best practice regarding environmental education and participation
• Communication and information about the project with primary and nursery school teachers including environmental education bodies from pilot sites.
• Educational and tourism representatives were invited to the stakeholder meeting and asked to provide input on the development of the educational and dissemination activities.
• Short TV interview (onsite-Chrysi Island) on the National Television Channel (NET, Menoume Ellada). Broadcasted on Sunday 5th of July 2009 and again on the 18th of August 2009 at 13:00.
• Two interviews on a Local TV Channel (Chania, Nea TV), during the 1st stakeholder consultation meeting. Broadcasted on the 25th and the 26th of February 2009.
• Production of 20.000 project leaflet (in English and Greek),
• Distribution of leaflets to various stakeholders in Crete and the South Aegean (Naxos),
• Onsite distribution of leaflets to site visitors,
• Production (6000) and distribution of T-shirts to various stakeholders and school students,
• Production and broadcasting of radio spot with the collaboration of Gavdos FM (in English and Greek),
• Discussions with professionals on the video content, recording of scenes for the video from all Cretan sites and student’s week in MAICh,
• Publication of 5 Articles and 9 Press releases in local newspapers (Chaniotika Nea, Kyrikas, and Anatoili)
• Publication of 6 articles and 3 press releases in National and local newspapers (Eleftherotypia, Chaniotika Nea and Kyrikas). Moreover, online publications on various forums and blogs (in relation to the above-published articles) have been published.
• Online Publication on various forums and blogs of 5 press releases and 3 information articles about coastal dunes with Juniperus spp.
• Participation in the conference on “Promoting destination stewardship and sustainable tourism standards in Greece” organized in Chania on the 19th of September 2011 by the Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles (MEDASSET)
• A short slide presentation on coastal dunes with Junipers was produced and uploaded on YOUTUBE (uploaded on 26.10.2011).

Action D.2: Website development (Action in Progress)

Activities performed

• Website developed and launched (www.junicoast.gr) in March 2009.
• Website being maintained and updated regularly.
• Web statistics are available from May 2009.

Action D.3: Environmental education campaign (Action in Progress)

Activities performed

• Meetings with environmental education representatives and primary schools head from different municipalities.
• Participation of education and tourism representatives at the first stakeholder workshop at MAICh
• Meetings with key tourism stakeholders to discuss visitor information provision needs and appropriate media (boat owners, local tourism entrepreneurs, tourism guides and hoteliers and travel agent representatives of Crete, Greek National Tourism Organisation)
• Production and distribution to school teachers of an educational booklet on coastal dunes with Juniperus spp.
• Organization of 3 local events (site visits to Kedrodasos with school teachers and students on 15.12.2009, 03.03.2010 and 15.04.2010),
• Onsite (Kedrodasos) information meeting with volunteers on (04.08.2010) in Crete
• One local event in the South Aegean on the island of Naxos where many volunteers participated in cleaning of the 2250* habitat (October 2011),
• Organization of two student weeks at the premises of MAICh (03.05.2010 – 07.05.2010 and 09.05.2011 – 13.05.2011),
• Organization of a one day environmental education workshop on “Biodiversity and Tourism” at the premises of MAICh with school teachers (14.12.2010),
• Participation and presentation of the project in the environmental education workshop on “Coastal dunes with Juniperus spp.” organized by the environmental education center of Ierapetra on the 4th of May 2011
• Presentation of the project to school teachers and students (10.01.2010 – 13.04.2010),
• Presentation of the project to children (5 to 13 years old) in summer camp in Akrotiri-Chania (24.06.2011 and 19.07.2011) and to M.Sc. students from the Aegean University (21.06.2001).
• Moreover, the organization of one local event in Gavdos (July 2011) on Coastal dunes with Juniperus spp. was cancelled due to extreme weather conditions and is re-scheduled for summer 2012.

Action D.4: Training for habitat protection and restoration (Action in Progress)

Activities performed

• Contacts and discussions with various stakeholders involved in the protection of coastal dune with Juniperus spp. 2250* habitat throughout Greece, (e.g. forest directorate staff, government officers, etc)
• Preparation of training workshops.

Action D.5: Production and dissemination of habitat protection and restoration guidelines (Action in Progress)

Activities performed

• Exchange of data and state of the art on the protection and restoration of the habitat 2250* between the beneficiaries of the project.
• Preparation of guideline content.

Action D.6: Dissemination of findings to the scientific community and Layman’s report (Action in Progress)

Activities performed

• Preparation of a scientific publication entitled: “Vegetation diversity and dynamics of coastal dunes with Juniperus spp. in Crete, Gavdos and Chrysi”. This manuscript is in its final stage and it will be submitted to the journal of “Plant Ecology and Diversity” on May 2012
• The associated beneficiary NKUA presented a poster entitled: “Population data analysis of Juniperus macrocarpa subpopulations in four sites at Crete towards the implementation of specialized conservation actions” at the 12th Congress of Hellenic Botanical Society that was held on September 2011 in Rethymno.
• The associated beneficiary NKUA presented a poster in Greek entitled: “Σύνθεση και δομή των υποπληθυσμών του είδους Juniperus macrocarpa στην Κρήτη” at the 5th Panhellenic Congress of Ecology that was held on 07-10.10.2010 in Patras .
• The Technical University of Crete (external assistant, action A.1) and MAICh presented a manuscript entitled: “Imaging Sand Dunes at Kedrodasos Coastal Area, Crete, Greece” at the 6th Congress of Balkan Geophysical Society – held on the 3rd to the 6th of October 2011 in Budapest, Hungary.

Action D.7: After-LIFE communication and conservation plans (Not started)